Delivery device



April 23, 1935. c; R. KIRK DELIVERY DEVICE Filed Feb. 5. 1934 III!III'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA warren s'rA'res PATENT OFFlCE DELIVERY DEVICEClaude R. Kirk, Chicago, 111., assignor to John F. Meyer, Flintridge,Calif.

Application February 5, 1934, Serial No. 709,896 11 Claims.

This invention relates to delivery devices of the kind adapted for usein vending and amusement machines wherein articles of merchandise orprizes are delivered to the operator machine.

from the In the application of Percy C. Smith, Serial No. 691,633, filedSeptember 30, 1933, Patent No.

1,984,997, granted December 18, 1934 a de vice of the kind to which thisinvention a livery deppertains is shown and described and that deliverydevice comprises a movable member including a pocket and having anopening through which articles of merchandise or prizes from the machinemay pass into the pocket and through which opening the articles ofmerchandise or prizes may be removed from the pocket after deliverythereinto.

Among the objects of the invention of that application are to preventsurreptitious removal of displayed and dispensable articles and prizesfrom a vending or amusment machine; to entrap articles delivered fromthe machine in a delivery device from which they may be removed whendesired;v

to mount the delivery device to permit movement thereof between articlereceiving and article'dispensing positions; to limit movement of thedelivery device in such receiving and dispensing positions; and toprevent access to the machine through the delivery device when it is indispens ing position. My invention also has the foregoing objects and inaddition thereto the salient object of my invention is to prevent theaccumulation of small articles of merchandise or prizesin' the deliverydevice and ancillary'objects are to collect small articles ofmerchandise and prizes not removed from the delivery device by theoperator in a separate receptacle; to expedite removal of articles ofmerchandise and prizes from the delivery device; and to prevent articlesof merchandise and prizes of a predetermined size from passing from'thedelivery device moved by the operator.

A selected embodiment of my inventio until ren is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectionalview of an amusement and vending machine in which my novel deliverydevice is mounted; and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on theline 2-2 on Fig, 1. The preferred form of novel delivery deviceillustrated in the accompanying drawing includes a casting generallyindicated by 3. The casting comprises side Walls 4 and 5 and includes aplate 6 adapted to be disposed in and to close 0 the machine with whichmy delivery used, as will be explained hereinafter.

pening in device is A Wall 1 extends between the upper ends of the sidewalls 4 and 5 substantially medially from the center portion of theinner side of the plate 6 and a curved wall 8 extends from the upper endof the plate 6 to the merging of the inner end of the wall 1 with theupper ends of the side walls 4 and 5. Another wall 9 extends between thelower forward parts of the side walls A and 5 and includes a web IIIwhich projects forwardly when the deliverydevice is mounted in themachine and this web' I0 is located below the upper end of the Walllower part of the 9. Bars extend between the plate 6 and the lower partof the wall 9 at spaced intervals, as best illustrated in Fig. 2, for apurpose to be set forth; The

web It, the upper part of the plate 9, the lower part of the plate 6 andthe adjacent part of the wall of the machineprovide 'a pocket 12 whichwill be explained more fully hereinafter, A plate I3 extends between thelower rear parts of the side walls 4 and by screws 14 or 5 and issuitably joined thereto the like fitting in bosses IS on the plate 13.The side walls 4 and 5, the plate 6 and the walls .1,

the casting 3 whi 8 and 9 are integral parts of Ie the plate 13 is aseparate part.

I have illustrated my novel delivery device in a vending and amusementmachine of the kind shown in the patent to John F. Meyer, 1,927,877,

patented, September 26, 1933.

machine include a horizontal table'or platform I The illustratedvertical front wall It and 1 enclosed by the Sal front and other wallsof the machine. That part of the front wall l6 above the table 11' isequipped An opening the table I opening. The frame 19 a sizesubstantially equal is provided in'the front wall 16 below I and a frame19 is mounted in this encloses an opening of to the area of the plate 5and the opening and plate are shaped complementary so that the plate 5closes the opening. Trunnions 6 are journaledi portmy deliveryv betweenthe full Fig. 1.

An opening 2| 20 in the lower part of the plate n the frame I!) torotatably supdevice for oscillatable movement and broken line positionsof isprovided inthe table :1 and a delivery chute 22 is mounted in thisopening and includes a delivery part 23 having an open-lower end whichis curved. The rear edges of the side walls 4 and 5, the wall 8 curvedcomplementary to end of thedelivery part and the plate l3 are the curvedopen lower 23 so as to be movable past said openv lower end. A flange 24is provided at the upper edge of the plate 6 and this flange abuts acomplementary flange 25 on the upper rail of the frame I9 to retain mynovel delivery device in article receiving position, that is to say,with the opening 24 defined between the lower edge of the wall 8 and theupper edge of the wall I3 in alignment with the open lower end of thedelivery part 23. My novel delivery device is mounted to be normallyurged by gravity into article receiving position. I

Theillustrated machine includes a pick-up device 25 which is operated inthe manner described in the heretofore referred to Meyer patent to pickup articles from the table I! and carry them to a position above thedelivery chute 22 and when the pick-up device attains this position itis opened and the articles fall into the delivery chute 22 and passthrough .the.=delivery part '23 thereof and the opening 24 into thepocket 26 of my novel delivery device.

A handle 2 is providedon the outer upper side of the plate 6 and thishandle "may be grasped to pivot the delivery device from the full .lineposition of Fig. 1 into the broken line position thereof which isdetermined by the stop 26' on the side wall 4, which stop engages theframe 19 to limit pivotal movement of the delivery device. When thehandle 21 is sograsped and the delivery device is so pivoted, the wall 8closes ofi access through the opening in the frame I9 until the leadingedge of theyopening 24 moves into alignment with the frame I9 and atthis time the lead ing edge of the plate I3 will have moved across theopen lower end of the deliverypart 23 and this plate will be closing offthe delivery .part of the chute 22 and therefore access into the machineand to the articles on the table II is effectively shut off by mydelivery device and consequently surreptitious removal of articles fromthe machine is prevented.

When articles of merchandise or .prizesor other productspass into thepocket 25 of my delivery device when it is "in a position like thatshown in full lines in Fig. 1, the articles collect at the bottom 'ofthe pocket 26, that is to say, between the lower parts of the wall 9 andthe plate I3 and the side walls A and 5. However, when the handle 21 isgrasped and the delivery device is pivoted into the broken lineposition, the'iarticl'es of merchandise or prizes or the like move intothe front of the delivery device and collect on the wall I. Ihis wall isrounded toward the opening 24 and therefore the operators hand may beinserted through the opening 24 to scoop the articles of merchandise orthe like over the curved wall "I and out through the opening 24. Oftensmall articles of merchandise such as pieces of candy or the like aredelivered into the pocket 26 and the operator may not always remove allof this candy or the like from the pocket. Itiis desirable to preventsuch candy or other smallpieces of merchandise from collecting in thepocket and this is attained in the delivery device of my invention, foras the delivery device is pivoted from the broken line position into thefull line position the articles of merchandise previously collected onthe inner surface of the wall I slide-along this wall toward theadjacent part of the inner surface of the plate 6, which is beveledinwardly a short distance below thejuncture of the wall I with the plate6 as indicated at 28, and any small articles remaining in the pocket 26slide over this bevel 28 and pass through the opening 29 between theupper end of the wall 8. and the lower end of the plate "6, and thesearticles collect in the pocket I2 where they remain until the deliverydevice is again pivoted from the full line position of Fig. 1 into thebroken line position thereof. When the delivery device is pivoted intothe broken line position the opening 30 from the pocket I2, which is theside thereof opposite the upper part of the wall 9, faces downwardly andconsequently any articles of merchandise collected in the pocket I2 fallfrom this pocket through the opening 30, and such articles are collectedin a receptacle 3| mounted below the delivery device on a shelf 32 inthe machine. The receptacle 3| is arranged to be removable from themachine and consequently it may be emptied from time to time. There maybe many articles of merchandise and prizes which should be retained inthe delivery device and not discharged in the manner described in theevent they are not removed by the operator. Pencils, pens, cigaretteholders and the like are examples of such articles of merchandise orprizes, and the bars II are provided to prevent such articles frompassing through the opening 29. Thebars are located to prevent articlesof such predetermined size from passing through this opening into thepocket I2 and obviously may be arranged in other positions than thoseillustrated in the drawing,

the particular location being indicated by the nature of the articlesthat it is desired to prevent passing into the pocket I2.

It is manifest from the foregoing description that I have provided adelivery device in which articles of merchandise delivered from themachine are entrapped and that access into the machine through thedeliverydevice is prevented. Furthermore, the delivery device is mountedso as to be oscillatable between article receiving and articledispensing positions. Furthermore, the accumulation of small articles ofmerchandise or prizes in the delivery device ,is prevented and if sucharticles are not removed from the delivery device they are collected ina separate receptacle from which they may be removed as desired.However, articles of a predetermined size may be prevented -from passingfrom the pocket even though they are not removedfrom the pocket :by theoperator upon a given operation of the delivery device.

While I have illustrated and described a selected embodiment of myinvention it is to be understood that this is capable of variation andmodification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes andalterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

l. A delivery device comprising a body having a pocket therein and anopening through which articles may pass into and be removed from saidpocket, means supporting said bodyfor pivotal movement and normally inposition with said opening adjacent the upper part thereof wherebyarticles passing through said opening will pass into the lower part ofsaid pocket, said body having a second opening therein communicatingwith the upper part of said pocket whereby when said body is pivoted tocause articles to move from the lower part of said pocket into the upperpart thereof the articles will pass out through said second opem'ng uponmovement of said body back into said normal position unless the articlesare removed through the first-named opening from the upper part of saidpocket prior to movement of said body back into said normal position.

2. A delivery device comprising a body having a pocket therein'and anopening through which articles may pass into and be'removed from saidpocket, means supporting said body for pivotal movement and normally inposition with said opening adjacent the upper part thereof wherebyarticles passing through saidopening will pass into the lower part ofsaid pocket, said body having a second opening therein communicatingwith the upper part of said pocket whereby when said body is pivoted tocause articles to move from the lower part of said pocket into the upperpart thereof the articles will pass out through said second opening uponmovement of said body back into said normal position unless the articlesare removed through the first-named opening from the upper part of saidpocket prior to movement of said body back into said normal position,and means for preventing the passage of articles of a predetermined sizethrough said second opening.

3. In a delivery device of the class described, a body, means mountingsaid body for oscillatable movement between article receiving andarticle dispensing positions, said body having a pocket therein intowhich articles may be passed when said body is in article receivingposition and from which articles may be removed when the body is inarticle dispensing position, and means in said body through whicharticles not removed from said pocket upon movement of said body intoarticle dispensing position may be automatically discharged from saidpocket upon movement of said body back into article receiving position.

4. In a delivery device of the class described, a body, means mountingsaid body for oscillatae ble movement between article receiving andarticle dispensing positions, said body having a pocket therein intowhich articles may be passed when said body is in article receivingposition and from which articles may be removed when the body is inarticle dispensing position, means in said body through which articlesnot removed from said pocket upon movement of said body into articledispensing position may be automatically discharged from said pocketupon movement of said body back into article receiving position, andmeans for preventing passage of articles'of a predetermined size throughsaid means through which articles may be automatically discharged.

5. In a delivery device of the class described, a body having a pockettherein and an opening affording access to said pocket and through whicharticles may pass into said pocket or be removed from said pocket, meanssupporting said body for movement between article receiving anddispensing positions, said body having an article receiving part in saidpocket and onto which articles may move when said body is moved intoarticle delivery position, and means communieating with said pocketadjacent said article supporting part to collect articles moving ontosaid article supporting part and not removed therefrom through saidopening, the articles moving into said means communicating with saidpocket upon movement of said body back into article receiving position.

6. In a delivery device of the class described, a body having a pockettherein and an opening affording access to said pocket and through whicharticles may pass into said pocket or be removed from said pocket, meanssupporting said body for movement between article receivmoved intoarticle delivery position,

ing and dispensing positions, said body having an article receiving partin said pocket and onto which articles may move when said body is meanscommunicating with said pocket adjacent said article supporting part tocollect articles moving ontoisaid article supporting part and notremoved therefrom through said opening, the articles moving into saidmeans communicating with said pocket up'on movement of said body backinto article receiving position, andmeans for preventing the passageofarticles of a predetermined size into the means communicating with saidpocket.

7. Ina delivery device of the class described, a body having a pockettherein, means supporting said body for movement between articlereceiving and dispensing positions, means positioning said body wherebyarticles may pass into one end thereof when said body is in articlereceiving position, means for limiting movement of said body wherebywhen said body is in article dispensing position articlespreviouslypassed thereinto collect at the end thereof opposite that in which thearticles are originally received, and means intermediate the ends ofsaid body and adapted toreceive and discharge articles not removed fromthe end of said pocket opposite the end in which the articles areoriginally received;

8. In a delivery device of the class described, a body having a pockettherein, means supporting said body for movement between articlereceiving and dispensing positions, means positioning said body wherebyarticles may pass into one end thereof when said body is position, meansfor limiting movement of said body whereby when said body is in articledispensing position articles previously passed thereinto collect at theend thereof opposite that in which the articles are originally received,said body having a slot therein intermediate the ends of said pocket,and means for directing articles not removed from the end of said pocketopposite the end in which the articles are originally received into saidslot whereby said articles may be discharged from said pocket.

9.,In a delivery device of the class described, a body having a pockettherein, means supporting said body for movement between articlereceiving and dispensing positions, means positioning said body wherebyarticles may pass into one end thereof when said body is in articlereceiving position, means for limiting movement of said body wherebywhen said body is in article dispensing position into collect at the endthereof opposite that in which the articles are originally received,said body having a slot therein intermediate the ends of said pocket,means for directing articles not removed from the end of said pocketopposite the end in which the articles are originally received into saidslot whereby said articles may be discharged from said pocket, and meansfor preventing articles of a predetermined size from passing throughsaid slot.

10. In a delivery device of the class described, a body having a pockettherein, means supporting said body for movement between articlereceiving and dispensing positions, means positioning said body wherebyarticles may pass into one end thereof when said body is in articlereceiving position, means for limiting movement of said body wherebywhen said body is in article dispensing position articles previouslypassed thereinto collect at the end thereof opposite that in in articlereceiving articles previously passed therewhich the articles areoriginally received, said body having a slot therein intermediate the:ends of said pocket, means for directing articles not removed from theend of said pocket opposite the end in which the articles are originallyreceived into said slot whereby said articles may be discharged fromsaid pocket, and means for collecting articles passing from said bodythrough said slot. c.

11. In a delivery device of :the class described, a body having .apocket therein, means supporting said body for movement between articlereceiving and dispensing positions, means positioning said body wherebyarticles may pass into one end thereof when said body is in'jartic'lereceiving position, means for limiting'movement of said body wherebywhen said body is in article dispensing position articles previouslypassed thereinto collect at the end thereof opposite that in which thearticles are originally received, said body having a slot thereinintermediate the ends of said pocket, means for directing articles notremoved from the end of said pocket opposite the end in which .thearticles are originally received into said slot whereby said articlesmay be discharged from said pocket, means for collecting articlespassing from-said body through said slot, and means for preventingarticles of a predetermined "size from passing through said slot.

CLAUDE R. KIRK.

